Family
by thatkindoflove
Summary: A Klaus Caroline fan fic, originally an extended drabble of an idea I was playing around with: A baby is left on Klaus' doorstep and he enlistd Caroline's help in dealing with the situation...
1. Chapter 1

"Please, allow me to escort you to the door Caroline" he offered with a typical smirk.

"I'm pretty sure I remember the way" she bit back sarcastically, causing his smirk to widen.

Unsurprisingly, he ignored her protests and walked her out into the hallway of his (there was no other word for it) mansion. He paused once they had reached the door and looked at her expectantly, with eyebrows slightly raised. After a few moments he broke the silence between them,

"It was nice to see you Caroline, even if this wasn't exactly a social visit".

She hesitated a little and then reached to open the door, freezing when she saw what was waiting outside. "Oh my God" she squeaked, and with that Klaus was immediately at her side.

"What's wrong?" he demanded, searching around until finally he saw it. A small, sleeping child in a Moses basket sitting on his doorstep.

"What the hell is going on Klaus?" she demanded

"KOL!" Klaus bellowed towards the grand staircase.

"You rang?" came his sarcastic drawl as he appeared immediately beside them.

"I don't have time for your pathetic attempts at humour, just get rid of it" Klaus snapped.

"Eh, as usual brother I have no idea what you're.. " Kol drifted off mid sentence, upon catching sight of the child.

"Woah, I've been locked in a coffin for over a century so it's definitely not mine!" he said stupidly.

Klaus sighed heavily with frustration. "Are you telling me this isn't your idea of a joke?"

"Trust me brother, there is nothing funny about babies" Kol replied.

And with impeccable timing the young child woke up and began to grow restless in it's basket. All three vampires gazed warily at her.

"We can't just leave her crying" Caroline suddenly said. Her comment was met with blank stares from both men.

She sighed and leaned down to pick the baby up – who almost immediately quietened.

"She likes you" Klaus commented.

"Problem solved," Kol smiled "The kid can live with Barbie – everyone's a winner. Are we done here?"

Caroline merely glared.

Klaus called towards the stairs for Rebekah to join them.

"I know she's gone a bit mad with this new online shopping thing, but I'm pretty sure she hasn't ordered a baby" Kol smirked.

"If you're not going to be helpful then just leave" Caroline shot.

Kol shrugged.

"I'm busy Nik, what is it?" Rebekah demanded.

"I hate to interrupt your hectic schedule of pathetic teenage problems but there's been an unexpected development.." he gestured towards the baby.

"What is THAT?" she blurted out.

"Well I would have thought it was pretty obvious."

"It'..

"She!" Caroline interrupted.

"SHE," Klaus emphasised "just turned up on the doorstep."

"What did the note say?" Rebekah questioned.

"What note?" Caroline asked confused.

"The note in it's basket" she pointed.

"She must have been lying on it" Caroline exclaimed, bending down to retrieve the piece of paper in question.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks so much for all your positive comments. As requested, a slightly longer chapter this time.**

Caroline read the contents aloud;

_"Circumstances dictate that I can no longer care for my daughter and must _

_leave her with people who have the means to do so. I have passed your _

_beautiful home many times, and when imagining the best possible life I could _

_provide my daughter with I have often pictured us living there. I can only ask _

_that you find it in your hearts to do what you can for her, or help to find _

_someone else who will. She is the most precious thing I have"_

"Who the hell would leave their baby on a stranger's doorstep?!" Caroline

spat, outraged.

"What are we going to do Nik?" Rebekah asked.

After a few moments of contemplation Klaus gathered himself and replied,

"Take it in until we can find somewhere more permanent I suppose"

Caroline's mouth opened in shock.

"You can't seriously believe I would leave a vulnerable child alone in a house full of murderous Original vampires?" she scoffed.

"Ouch, that hurt! These murderous Originals have feelings too you know" Kol said, clutching his chest in mock horror.

"We have unlimited resources Caroline, she'll want for nothing while she's with us."

"She'll need clothes!" Rebekah exclaimed, and rushed upstairs to get her credit card, ready for yet more shopping.

Klaus rolled his eyes.

"If you don't trust in our ability to care for her you're more than welcome to stay and help" he offered, thinking that this ridiculous situation may prove to have its advantages. Anything which allowed him to spend time in Caroline's company was a good thing in his book.

Caroline sighed and pushed her way past Klaus.

Klaus followed her into the sitting room and Kol disappeared upstairs, leaving them alone.

"How difficult can all this really be? People have been looking after babies for millennia. Lesser people than you and I, I might add" he remarked.

"I doubt many of them have been murdering psychopaths" Caroline retorted.

"You truly believe I'd harm a defenceless baby? I'm not a complete monster Caroline. Although I've gotten used to people always assuming the worst of me."

"I think that you've proven there's not a lot you won't do to get your own way, regardless of who gets hurt" she replied frankly.

"Maybe so" he mused.

"I mean, do I think humanity's black and white, good and evil? No. Not even when it comes to you. I've done things I deeply regret in the past, but they're things I can't change no matter how much I want to. The only thing I can change is what I do in the future. Maybe giving this baby a second chance will help you work on yours." Caroline offered, taking the baby into the kitchen to search for something she might be able to eat.

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Caroline had been there for days now taking care of the baby practically alone and she felt exhausted. She readied herself to go home, knowing that the baby would be ok with Rebekah for a few hours (she was currently upstairs having what could only be described as a baby fashion show). She gathered her things and turned to Klaus,

"She needs somewhere to sleep"

"She sleeps in the basket.." he said, slightly confused.

"She can't stay in that forever. I meant a room"

"Perhaps she could occupy one of Rebekah's many walk in closets" he replied sarcastically.

Caroline rolled her eyes.

"If you're serious about her staying here for a while you'll need to organise something"

Klaus merely gave a non-committal nod of his head.

"Goodnight Caroline" he called behind him as she approached the door.

"Goodnight" she replied tersely as it snapped quietly shut behind her.

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Caroline returned the next morning feeling refreshed from a good night's sleep and let herself in without knocking - something she would never dream of doing in anyone else's house. She was greeted by Rebekah, who was looking distinctly less polished than usual, holding a crying baby at arm's length.

"She was cute until she threw up on my favourite dress" she told Caroline as she handed her the baby.

"Glad to see you're still in one piece" she affectionately to the young child as she consoled her.

"Well well, if it isn't Mary Poppins" Kol quipped, striding in through the double doors. "Thank God you're finally here, I don't think I could have listened to that racket much longer"

"She just needs fed I think" replied Caroline.

"I tried earlier, that's when she threw up on me, so I gave up" pouted Rebekah "I left the bottle in her room I think"

"Her room?" Caroline asked confused.

"Yes, upstairs second door on the left" Rebekah informed her as she left to get changed.

Caroline, now left to her own devices it seemed, made her way up the grand staircase to the door she had been directed to and turned the handle.

The last time she had seen this room it had been Klaus' study – all ancient leather bound books, dark green walls and large imposing desk. Essentially the exact opposite of how it was now. Caroline took in the room before her: it was a pink explosion. Pink walls, thick light pink carpet, stuffed animals and in the middle of the room stood an elaborate (and no doubt expensive) crib with an armchair positioned at the side of it. She stood speechless for a while until she was startled by noise from a creaking floorboard. She spun around to find Klaus standing across the hallway from her.

"It took Elijah and Kol an embarrassing amount of time to assemble that thing" he smirked, gesturing to the crib. "Elijah even removed his jacket. I don't believe I've ever seen someone staked with part of a crib before"

"Klaus" Caroline breathed "It's... perfect" she finally managed to say.

"It should do the trick I suppose" he muttered a little uncomfortably.

"Thank you" she said as he turned to leave.

He merely nodded in response, continuing down the stairs and out of sight, leaving Caroline shocked and a little confused. Where had that come from? she thought to herself.

Klaus was an enigma. He had agreed to take in this child, yet avoided any significant contact with her. Although the gesture of transforming one of his own personal rooms into a beautiful nursery was not that of someone who didn't care. Caroline watched him closely with a mixture of confusion and wonder over the next few days.

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Caroline had been sorting out some of her things when she heard crying from upstairs.

"See to that won't you sweetheart?" Klaus said, sat in his armchair, scotch in hand.

"I can't, I have to go home for a while my mum's starting to get suspicious" Caroline replied.

"You can't leave, there's no one else here.." he said, as though she were missing the obvious.

"Last time I checked _you_ were"

"You're expecting me to spend the night taking care of a baby?" he scoffed.

"Yes" she said simply, picking up her jacket and bag from the couch.

"_Caroline_" he said, his tone warning.

"I'll be back early tomorrow morning"

"I can't promise I'll be here" he said aloofly.

Caroline made a show of leaving, banging the door a little harder than she normally would have. She crept quietly around the back of the house where she knew she could get a decent view of the sitting room and the baby's room up on the second floor.

She stood there for a good ten minutes watching Klaus drinking alone in his chair. He was going to leave her all alone upstairs. He really was heartless. But seconds after she'd finished the thought Klaus rose swiftly from his armchair and headed towards the staircase. She watched him pace up and down the hallway outside her room before approaching the door. Tentatively, he eased it open, moving very slowly for a hybrid Caroline noted. He edged closer to the crib and peaked worriedly over the top for any signs of movement and found her awake but settled, and staring up at him.

"Isn't it a little past your bedtime love?" Caroline heard him whisper, as he reached down into the crib to gently stroke her head.

Caroline had seen all she needed to, and with her worries eased she sped off home.


End file.
